Training Log Archive: ebuckley

Warmup.

Bubba XC. Course was two laps of the cyclocross circuit. Measurement is the consensus from the GPS-wearing participants. Didn't feel like I was running that fast, but it was a flat course. Ran the first lap reasonably fast (9:15) then backed off when it was pretty clear that my position wasn't going to change. Finsihed fourth behind a trio of youngsters, so I'm now leading the old man standings for the series. Sounds much more impressive than it is - this was a really small field.

After the run Yaya and I watched the cyclocross races. Rudy appeared to be holding his own, despite taking 2nd M40 in the run. I was tempted to enter as I still had my bike with me from yesterday's ride, but thought the better of it. It was an awful lot of fun to watch a race for a change.

Katy trail from Greens Bottom to Matson Hill, a short loop on some dirt roads, and then back on the Katy.

After the ride, picked up Yaya who was visiting Aunt Sarah in Harvester. Then we went out to Pere Marquette and camped. She did great. Looking fairly good for next weekend as long as the weather holds.

Lunchtime run downtown. Rib got progressively more uncomfortable, but never really painful. Ran a few hundred meters on grass at 5K pace to see if running the XC race on Sunday woudl be just normal stupid or REALLY STUPID. Decided it was the former as long as I don't do something REALLY STUPID like sprinting in at the finish.

Slept 7 hours straight last night! Rib still hurts, but that's definitely progress. Taking a day off today to see if complete rest helps (it didn't a week ago, but I think I'm past the point where light activity is needed to keep the inflammation down).

C • here's a cool piece by Mich... 3

In to work in the 60. Might be a personal worst for the direct route in. I was actually pedalling reasonably vigorously, but was up against a far more vigorous wind out of the east. Slightly warmer this morning (low 50's); if it warms next week as predicted, I might get through October without breaking out the long-fingered gloves.

Well, it turns out, there's an exact match to my commuter bike specs out there (albeit, a bit above the hoped for price point). I switched my order to the lighter, disc-brake, version: the Monocog Flight 29er. As Al Kreitler once said of his rollers: "The pain of poor quality lasts long after the pleasure of low price is gone." So, just as I did with the rollers 30 years ago (I've still got 'em and they still work great), I'm forking over an extra few hundred bucks and getting the one I really like.

C • Enjoy! I know that feeling... 5

Back home, assisted by the same wind that held me up in the morning.

Rib was really bad last night. Didn't sleep well. Rode in easy again.

I'm pretty sure the Cannondale is about ready to self-destruct. A full year of urban commuting will do that to a racing bike. I don't mind rebuilding it (it is 6 years old and it's running original everything except tires, cassette, and chain), but I'd just as soon not trash it all over again when I'm done. So, at lunch I took the link out to Big Shark where Ed Shafer showed me the progress the bike industry has made in approaching my specs for the ultimate bad-weather commuter: flat-proof tires, single speed, disc brakes, flat bars, light frame, all for about $500. Turns out they've come pretty darn close. The leading contender is the Redline Monocog 29er. OK, no disc brakes and way overkill on the tires, but those changes can be made and the price will still come out spot on. I'm going to test ride it on my way home.

Back home. Includes a 15-minute test ride of the Redline. I'm sold; it's cheap, functional, durable, and surprisingly fun to ride. Something to be said for getting rid of all the expensive components, I guess. I'll change the gearing to 71" (32x13; will be 67" with cyclocross tires), but hang onto the 20T cog it comes with in case I feel like riding trails.

Wasn't in any particular hurry to start the work week. Soft pedalled in using the 60.

Back home via Midland, still in the 60. Riding feels fine, but my rib was hurting a lot more today when just sitting around. Not sure what's up with that, but I sure hope I didn't jack it up yesterday. Only time I remember it hurting then was when I lifted Yaya down off a boulder. Didn't seem like a big deal at the time.